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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28242258">Quarantine Pen Pals</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomlittleimp/pseuds/randomlittleimp'>randomlittleimp</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Avengers Tower, Canon-Typical Violence, Domestic Avengers, Everybody Lives, F/M, Global Pandemic, Minor Jane Foster/Thor, Minor Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Panic Attacks, Pen Pals, Pop Culture, Quarantine, Rating May Change, Screw You Marvel, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Texting, WinterShock - Freeform, mature rating for language, music references, still happily living in the tower together, talk of PTSD, talk of nightmares, we will see where it takes us</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:48:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,969</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28242258</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomlittleimp/pseuds/randomlittleimp</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky convinces Steve and the crew to quarantine responsibly. </p><p>Darcy is bored and wants someone to talk to.</p><p> </p><p>Just a thought I had, not sure of all the details yet. Hopefully this idea doesn't leave me before I finish writing it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Darcy Lewis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>181</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>336</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Warm fuzzies</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Snipers are pros at socially distancing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Bucky was still in his sweatpants. He was sitting on the couch with his feet up, a bowl of freshly popped popcorn on his lap and he was flipping through the channels looking for something to watch, and he was still in his sweats. Steve couldn’t help but gawk at his roommate and best friend. “What happened?” Steve asks, once the words come to him. He tries to sound calm and sympathetic, leaving the worry out of his voice as best as he could. Bucky had been making so much progress with social interactions lately, Steve hated seeing him backslide like this.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky looked up at him as if he had just noticed his entrance to the room. Steve was dressed and shaved and ready to head out for the evening with Nat and Sam. Bucky was meant to go as well. “Nothing much Steve, just a global pandemic.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Steve sighed with relief, and chuckled a bit, “Oh, is that all. You do realize we are probably immune right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky froze, popcorn halfway to his open mouth and slowly turned to look Steve in the face, “And what about Sam and Nat? Are they immune?” Bucky’s tone was clearly changing from indifferent and calm to something a bit more aggressive, it made Steve blanch slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nat probably is too, with all the things they did to Red Room recruits, and Sam is willing to take his chances.” Steve shrugs and tries to calm Bucky’s mood with his nonchalance, “Besides Tony has the best doctors on hand, and top of the line, hell above top of the line medical equipment here at the tower for us.” Steve gives a little grin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky moves the popcorn bowl off his lap, and slowly gets to his feet, his calm movements momentarily make Steve think he has won his best friend over till Bucky turns his eyes to Steve. The fire in his gaze makes Steve shrink away from the dark haired man. “You want to go out for a night on the town in one of the most populous cities in the country during a pandemic? You need to mingle at the bars, surrounded by people who are not social distancing, and most of whom don’t know how to wash their hands properly just to get a little nightlife in. We might be immune, you jerk, but that doesn’t mean we can’t carry this shit to other people who aren’t on our skin or clothes.” Bucky’s voice was getting louder and more angry with each word he spoke, “I did not spend countless winters of my youth wondering if this was the year you didn’t pull through just to go gallivanting around and possibly put some other poor soul through that shit. Get your head out of your ass Steve, and set an example! For Christ's sake.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that Bucky flopped back down onto the couch, grabbed up his popcorn and went back to flipping through the channels. Steve stood frozen to the spot, pale and guilty. He felt just like he had as a kid when his mom would get at him about his reckless behavior. He swallowed hard, and hung his head a little, “You’re right Buck.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Damn right I am, punk.” Bucky muttered, but there was no venom in his words. He had made his point, and Steve turned back to his room to change, pulling his phone out to make a call to Sam about canceling their plans.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Steve went to Pepper the next day and together they drafted a press release about all of the Avengers self isolating, except for emergencies of course, to try and curb the spread. They knew their own contribution would have little real effect, but perhaps they could convince others that it was the right thing to do, others that may not have thought it was worth it before. Besides, if the worst happened and they needed to go save the day, at least Bucky could still do it from an overly safe distance. Being a sniper was good for that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was also used to wearing a mask already, although Steve visible flinched when he saw him in one the first time. After that Bucky made sure not to wear a black one, opting for more colorful ones to ease Steve’s mind. Eventually the two broke out there sewing skills from their youth and started making their own masks with the most ridiculous patterned fabric they could get their hands on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a couple weeks in when things were just starting to get a little monotonous that Bucky’s phone pinged with a text from an unknown number.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hey there, you don’t know me, and I don’t know you but I dialed this number randomly in an attempt to find someone to talk to. Like a texting Pen Pal or whatever, because isolation is important, but I am bored AF and thought others out there might be too. You are my fourth attempt, or maybe fifth, so if you want to tell me to F-off or something it’s fine.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky stared at his phone confused at first, but as he read it a second time he couldn’t help but smile. It was brilliant really, completely anonymous pen pals for the digital age. But then he got annoyed, and began typing,<em> “People told you to F-off? What a bunch of assholes! I think it’s a great idea and would love to be your texting Pen Pal.” </em></span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hit send and it only took seconds for a reply to come back, although he wasn’t sure what it meant. It was just a string of emojis and he hadn’t quite grasped that particular language yet. <em>“Whoa, uhm, I gotta tell you I’m a bit of an old foggy and don’t quite understand you young whippersnappers emoji speak. You’re gonna have to use actual words til I get the hang of it.”</em></span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“ROFL. Okay I’ll take it easy on you, but by the time this quarantine is over you’ll be emoting with the best of us! You can call me D, what should I call you?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky knew what ‘ROFL’ meant thanks to Sam, so he was glad he could make D laugh. <em>“You can call me J.”</em></span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Steve walked into their apartment with groceries in his hands, and wearing a mask of a cartoon hulk in bright green and pink with cartoon speech balloons all over stating ‘HULK SMASH!’”  They had used the same material to make an extra large version for Bruce. “You ready to make dinner Buck? I got all the ingredients for Chicken Pot pie just like your mom used to make.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky smiled at him from over the back of the couch, “Yeah, I’ll be there in just a sec.” Bucky typed up a brief ‘goodbye for now’ message and went to start preparing the vegetables for cooking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who are you texting?” Steve asked as he dried his hands off from washing them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No idea.” Bucky said with a smile as he washed his own hands, then went on to explain the strange message to his friend as they cooked.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Darcy Lewis</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Darcy was excited. It was a brand new year and Jane had finally agreed to take some lab space in Avengers tower that Tony Stark had been waving under her nose for years now. All it took was for Thor to take up residence in the Tower and try to win her back. It worked and Darcy spent the next weekend happily packing up the shack they had been living and working out of in the middle of the Mongolian flats. No big cities mean less light pollution and a clearer view of the universe. It also means no Starbucks so coming back to civilization, and Manhattan to boot is a dream.  Darcy was on cloud nine, and floated through the insane packing process.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jane was good, and one hardball negotiation with Tony led to a big fat grant for Jane and a paycheck for Darcy, along with shared accommodations for them both in the tower. All though if Jane and Thor are together, Darcy doubts she will see much of her bestie. She will be in the heart of the city in a luxury apartment, in a building with the greatest security one could ask for.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It took a couple months to get everything shipped over and through customs. Once they made it there Darcy crashed for a day and a half to get past the jetlag. After that it was loud music and unpacking the lab for four more days. She didn’t have much personal stuff to unpack though. Their nomadic lifestyle over the past few years made it difficult to have anything more than a carry on sized duffel worth of things. Most of her belongings were being stored at her parents home in Pennsylvania. She figured she could go retrieve them after getting a little more settled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For the moment she was busy getting the lab going and making a list of restaurants to try. She had an actual paycheck now, and no bills or rent to worry about, so she figured it was the perfect opportunity to try out as many different food options as the great island of Manhattan had to offer. There were plenty to choose from too. She had gotten to about half a dozen different coffee shops before news of the virus started to make the news. She still had a couple dozen pizza joints to try when shit hit the fan and lockdown started. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Darcy had just gotten used to the hustle and bustle of city life when suddenly she was back to isolation. Luckily, in Jane’s opinion anyway, the labs were located inside the building so they could still do their work without breaking quarantine. At least until some young intern broke out one night to go to an influencer party and came back sick. Luckily for Darcy it was an intern in another lab and she hadn’t had any direct contact with them, but Bruce insisted the whole complex of labs be shut down for fourteen days and get a deep clean. So she was stuck in her apartment alone, as Jane was quarantining with Thor of course. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It only took about three days before Darcy was climbing the walls. She had exhausted the streaming services of anything new. Baked enough bread to feed the Persian army, and cleaned and organized every inch of the place. She needed to have a conversation with another human being before she went completely mad. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Darcy knew about the ‘texting your number neighbor’ trend that had been going around but her number neighbors were Jane (because they got their Stark phones at the same time, and the idiot intern who got her into this mess to start with. So instead she just closed her eyes and started hitting numbers blindly before sending off her opening message. The first one came off as undeliverable and she realized that she might want to make sure she had an actual area code that existed, preferably in an english speaking country. She decided to keep it simple and stick with Manhattan. There were plenty of cell phones on the island, she would have to get someone eventually. Her next try gave her her first ‘F off’ message. She thought that was a little extreme a reaction to something so innocent, but then again this is New York. The next was someone’s work phone, and was ‘heavily monitored’, so fair enough. Another ‘F off’ and then finally she got J. When he replied to her she actually jumped up and yelled in triumph before sending off her string of party emojis. While their first conversation didn’t last very long it was definitely something to look forward to.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Later that same evening as she was settling onto the couch with a bowl of popcorn, she grabbed her phone and shot out a new message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I hope you don’t mind, but I’m a bit of a Chatty Cathy at the best of times and might just shoot out texts to you at times when I would usually be talking to someone in person. You don’t need to feel obligated to reply every time. Just thought I would warn you of the possibilities.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her phone dinged back at her a minute later, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I will always reply, my momma didn’t raise me to ignore messages, but I have to tell you it might not always be right away. I’m kinda still on call with my job, so if I’m working my phone might be off. I promise to get back to you as soon as I can though.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Darcy smiled, she could work with that. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“That's good. Hope you're not busy right now. I’m about to start a movie and will probably be blowing up your phone with commentary as I watch.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What movie? That way I can watch along with you and know what you’re talking about. Maybe even add my own insights. :) “</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Darcy smiled, this was going to be fun. She was really glad that she had found J. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J -That's a mouthful. Give me a second to find it on the tv.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span> D -You’ll need a streaming service and probably have to pay for it. It’s pretty new.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J -It’s cool. Our landlord covers the tv stuff, and he buys pretty much everything.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D -LOL Mine too. You find it?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - Yup, hit play when the next minute rolls over and we can be synchronized.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D - We're gonna synchronize our tvs like a couple couch potato spies. Cool.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - Wait , is this a cartoon movie?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D - No, just chill. It’s just the back story.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - I wanted to cry when I cut my hair too.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D - Roller Derby! I always wanted to try that.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - Gross. Feel sorry for that bag.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D - American cheese is gross.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - I think I need a gun that shoots bean bags and confetti, that would be one hell of a distraction.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D - Oh, Obi Wan what happened to you?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - What? </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D - The actor, he was in the prequels as Obi Wan.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - Prequels to what?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D - Dude! Star Wars!?! You been living under a rock or something?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - Something like that.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D - Wow! I have got my work cut out for me with you. How old are you anyhow?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - Older than I look, let's leave it at that.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And with that the two started watching all the movies Darcy determined were of cultural significance. It was almost a nightly occurrence. It certainly broke up the monotony. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Taking a break for Christmas, see ya nexty week. Same bat channel</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. T-800s and hairy palms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The months went by slowly, but Bucky didn’t seem to mind all that much. With the exception of a couple of robot uprisings here or there it was pretty uneventful. Most evenings were spent texting with D while watching movies. To be honest he spent a lot of time during the day texting as well. It was nice to have someone else he could talk to about things going through his head without judgment. And D never judged him for anything he said, they might poke a little fun depending on the subject but it was all in good fun, and he let them whine about work and roommate stuff.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D -Hey you there? I am sooo bored and we haven’t talked in like 3 hours. Hee hee</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J- I am but my hands are kinda preoccupied at the moment.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D - Preoccupied? If you do that too often you’ll end up with hairy palms.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky stared at his phone. He had no idea what D was talking about, and was a little scared to ask. Luckily Sam was just dropping off some paperwork for Steve and saw the confused look on his face and stopped. Bucky reluctantly showed Sam the message in hopes he could decipher the meaning, only for Sam to start laughing. “Oh man, this guy is harsh. I like him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not sure it’s a guy actually. Do you know what they’re talking about?” Bucky was starting to get irritated with Sam, not that it took much.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s even better! Hairy palms are a reference to an old wives tale about what might happen if you, you know, spend too much time with only your hand for company. They did do that back in your day, didn’t they old man.” Sam gave him a nudge and a wink before Bucky finally got the picture.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He huffed a laugh, “I supposed other guys did, I never lacked for company of the female persuasion myself. So you’d know more about it than me, bird brain.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky easily dodged the pillow thrown at him from across the room, but could hear Steve stifling a laugh in the kitchen, “Very funny Skynet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - Not that kind of occupied. Get your mind out of the gutter. I’m sewing.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D - Sewing? How domestic. What ya making?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - Masks. Me and my roomie started doing it at the start of all this, first for ourselves then for our friends. This batch is going to the children’s hospital though. Got all sorts of bright and fun fabrics for the kids. You know just giving back.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D - Now I feel all dirty for what I said to such an upstanding member of society. Plus feeling bad for not doing more myself. Although I have a bunch of scrap fabric in storage I was saving to make ridiculous quilts in my old age that might work for that. Neon leopard print type stuff from the eighties. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - Neon leopard print?! That sounds like a horrendous quilt you had planned. Hate to be your grandkid.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>D - I know right! :) If you knew me better, it would totally make sense though. Well we could actually call each other and talk instead of text. If you have an earpiece it would totally free up your hands. If you want, it's fine if you don’t.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky took a minute to think it through, would it really be that bad. They had been talking for a few months now. He considered D a friend so why not. It would make watching movies together more fun since they wouldn’t have to stop paying attention to the screen to type or read.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>J - Hang on, let me move my stuff to my room. Don’t want to be talking over my roommate's tv show.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky quickly packed up his box of fabric and needles and thread, tossing his phone in on top and headed for his room. Once he was set back up at the little desk that he had on the far wall he put in the Bluetooth earbud he had and connected it to the phone before hitting the call button. The call was picked up on the second ring.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey there pen pal!” said the distinctly female voice that answered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re a dame!? Wasn’t expecting that, although I guess most guys don’t plan on making quilts in their old age.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They would rather sit on their porches and yell at the kids to get my their lawn!” She said the last bit while putting on a old man voice for emphasis, “ And who says dame anymore, are you trying to get a spot in the next rat pack?” She laughed and Bucky loved the sound of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have you know it was a very popular term when I was younger.” Bucky tried to sound insulted, but he was smiling too much for it to come off at all believable.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When you were younger? What are you, eighty? You don’t sound eighty.” She sounded skeptical, but still with a bit of laughter at the edges.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I sound younger than I am.” Bucky answered with a laugh while focused on his stitching.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You sound like a hot twenty-something to me.” Bucky suddenly poked his finger with the needle tip, causing him to drop what he was holding with a yelp. “You okay dude? Was that too much for your old man's sensibilities?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky laughed, “The mouth on you, you are trouble with a capital T aren’t ya."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that a bit of Brooklyn I hear in there. I get it, you're just some hipster trying to bring back the forties or something aren’t ya. It’s cool, I love me a good microbrew.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I am from Brooklyn and I love a good microbrew too, but I’ve never been called hip, at least not recently. I also personally think the forties can stay in the forties, things are much better nowadays. All things considered.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay not a hipster, just an old man in a young man’s body. Got it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey D, uhm what’s Skynet? Someone called me that, and I didn’t get the reference.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I swear you have been living under a rock for your whole life or something, and what is it with people calling other people nicknames based on pop culture references. Is that like a new tread? My landlord does it all the time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So you know what it is?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Skynet is the artificial intelligence that creates a robot army that takes over the world. One robot gets sent back in time to kill a kid that grows up to lead the human resistance. It’s a whole series of movies.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Killer robot huh, yeah that fits.” Bucky starts thinking about how he’s gonna get back at Sam.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You telling me you’re a killer robot?” D laughs on the other end of the line.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky remembers that they don’t actually know each other, “Uhm, no but I have a prosthetic arm, military injury.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dude, they were picking on a disabled vet, not cool.” D is starting to sound a little indignant.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s cool. We kind of fuck with each other all the time, this one just went over my head. I’ll get him back in kind. Don’t worry about me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, but if you need some help kicking someone’s ass, I’m pretty handy with a taser, just saying.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tempting as that is, I think it might be considered overkill by some.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So Terminator movies are gonna have to be next on the playlist. Got to get you up to speed on the robot related zingers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sounds like a plan.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Baklava and Immortality</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They only watched the first two Terminator movies because D said they rest if the films weren’t worth the time. Bucky decided to watch them anyhow. He kinda regretted it in the end. They weren’t terrible movies, but as far as the overall story went they just didn’t work. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I told you so.” D told him the next time they talked, “You should learn to listen to me about this stuff. I know what I’m talking about.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky laughed, “Yes Professor, I will never disregard your teachings again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s right boyo. Take my words as pop culture gospel.” D giggled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My roommate walked in on me watching one and flipped out. He was thinking I was gonna get triggered or have a breakdown or something, He’s such a mother hen.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Triggered? You have PTSD? What am I saying, you lost an arm of course you fucking do. Jesus, what was I thinking showing you those movies. God I’m so stupid.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“WHOA whoa, not you too. D I’m fine. I saw plenty of violence before and after my accident. That doesn't bother me. Mind control and memory loss, that’s a different story.” Bucky explained quickly to calm her down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, well okay. That seems oddly specific. Guess I’ll take Momento off the watch list then.” D seemed to take it pretty in stride, “But I get it. I have seen some stuff that will never leave me. Nightmares on the regular and all, why do you think I live off coffee. It is not for the taste.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky felt pretty lucky, but part of him still thought if D found out the full story she wouldn’t be so accepting. “I tried to watch the Bourne Identity, but didn't make it through the whole film.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Geez, but I got ya. So violence is okay, How about resurrection immortality kinda stuff?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You got something in mind doll?” He couldn’t help but smile at her unstoppable positive attitude.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“First dame, now doll, not sure to be insulted or flattered.” Bucky could hear the smile behind her words.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go with flattered and leave it at that.” Bucky really needed to stop flirting with D, they were nothing but friends.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay then. So there is a new film on Netflix I’ve heard is good. Lots of blood and guts and death but a cool story from a comic book. If you’re up for it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sounds good to me, what’s it called?” Bucky moved to grab the remote and get settled in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Old Guard. You ready?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Finger is on the trigger babe, count it down.” Bucky held out the remote, finger on the play button as D counted down from five and they started it up at the same time. (Little did they know that F.R.I.D.A.Y. had already figured out what they were doing and always made sure they were in sync, regardless of when they hit the button.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m starting to rethink girls with short hair.” Bucky says about twenty minutes in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m starting to rethink girls, period. I would not kick her outta bed for eating crackers.” D responded, almost dreamily. Bucky choked on his popcorn. “Did I break you and your old man sensibilities again?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bucky laughed, “No doll, just surprised me a bit. The mouth on you is something else. I like it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have I got moxy?” D was laughing again, “You like my moxy, old man?”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are a firecracker, doll. Yeah I like it.” Bucky could feel the blush creeping up his cheeks, he needed to stop thinking of her like that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m starting to like you calling me doll, even against my basic feminist ideals.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I am all for women's rights and equality. My mother would come back from the grave and whoop me if I ever thought differently. Besides, I’m pretty sure my roommate's girlfriend could easily kick my ass, so I am well aware you can do anything I can do and all that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well alright then. Now I just need to come up with some cutesy endearment for you too.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s just watch the movie.” Bucky was definitely blushing now, he was suddenly glad D wasn’t in the room to see it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the movie went fast and fairly quietly on Bucky’s side. He kept thinking about this new aspect of the relationship with D.  He was so preoccupied with those thoughts, when the characters were strapped down in the lab he barely noticed, which was probably for the best. It did hit a little too close to home for him, at least for a second. Instead he was able to just shake it off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knew that it was silly to be falling for nothing more than a voice on the phone, but he was able to be more open with her than any other stranger. Sure some things he said weren’t exactly truthful, but he didn’t want to give too much away. If she figured out who he really was he would never hear from her again. A white lie, or a lie of omission wasn’t that bad, was it?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. One is a genius, the other's insane</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So I was thinking about going on to my roof and roasting marshmallows? What do you think?”</p><p>“You just gonna set fire to your entire building for a tasty treat? Geez D, I know quarantine is boring but don’t you think that might be a bit extreme?” Bucky laughed as he talked. He was cleaning his rifle on the coffee table after getting back from a mission. He didn’t want to think too much about the fact that the first thing he wanted to do when they got back to the tower was call D. He even skipped the debrief and was still in his uniform. Steve had given him the disapproving Captain America stare when he came into the apartment and found him sitting on the floor field stripping his rifle. </p><p>“The landlord has this crazy patio set up on the roof, complete with a gas fire pit. Dude I’m living in the lap of luxury here. It’s awesome.”</p><p>Didn’t Stark have a gas powered fire pit on the top of the tower? It must be a popular thing now, he guessed living in the middle of the city it was the closest most people got to camping. “That actually doesn’t sound too bad. I could totally go for a dog cooked over a fire right about now. More than one actually. I just noticed I am starving.”</p><p>“Haven’t you eaten dinner yet?” D asked.</p><p>Looking at the clock Bucky realized it was almost ten at night. “No, I just got in and was cleaning my work equipment before putting it away. I think you were distracting me.”</p><p>“Go eat, sleep all that good stuff. I’ll still be here in the morning. Well here on the planet just not here on my couch. Gotta go to work early tomorrow. Boss had some kind of break though earlier so I’ll be running simulations all day. Fun fun!”</p><p>“Sounds like it. Text me if you want to chat. Good night doll.”</p><p>“Good night hot stuff!” D said it almost like it was a question.</p><p>“What did you call me?” Bucky stuttered.</p><p>“Hot stuff. You like it? I like it, I’m keeping it.” D laughed.</p><p>“But you don’t know that I’m hot? You don’t know what I look like, how can you call me hot?”</p><p>“Like this, hi hot stuff. See I just did it again, easy peasy.”</p><p>“Doll, you are something else. Good night.” Bucky shook his head as he hung up and finished reassembling his rifle before going to look for some hot dogs.</p><p>-----</p><p>Darcy was lightly banging her head against the desk as the computers calculated the math simulation for the fifty-ninth time that morning, or was it afternoon already? Jane was chewing on the end of a pencil after Darcy had taken away all the pens. Jane had chewed through one of those and ended up with blue ink all over her shirt, face and gums. “It doesn’t make sense, it should be working.” Jane grumbled for the tenth time this hour.</p><p>“Are you sure you got the calculations right. Your brain storm was post coitol after all.” Darcy asked with a slight smile on her face.</p><p>“Are you suggesting that I get addlebrained after sex?” Jane looked insulted at the suggestion.</p><p>“Regular sex, nah. Mind shattering God powered sex, absolutely. Half the tower can probably hear your religious experiences with Thor, soundproofing be damned.” Darcy was grinning at her friend. She might not be getting any toe curling in at the moment, but she would never begrudge her best friend of the experience. Beside Darcy loved Thor, the big lovable puppy dog of a god that he was. </p><p>“It was just then that her phone dinged at her and she smiled for another reason. “You sure have been chatting with Jay a lot lately, do I hear wedding bells in your future?” Jane prodded Darcy in the side.</p><p>Darcy swatted her with her scarf that she had been using as a pillow, “Can it you. We’re just friends, hell we haven’t even traded selfies yet.” Darcy was still smiling like a loon though.</p><p>“Doesn’t mean you don’t like him. You’re always talking and laughing about him. Hell that was all you could talk about yesterday. I haven’t seen you like this before. Not even with Ian.” Jane was back to watching the computer progress bar creep slowly across the screen.</p><p>Darcy just scoffed at her friend before throwing an empty box of pop tarts at her. It was caught before making it to its target by Thor who had just entered the room. “I see I have interrupted a lively discourse between my two favorite women of this realm.” </p><p>Jane turned to kiss him but the computer beeped out a signal that it had finished running the sim and Jane turned back to it before their lips could touch, only to groan at the red lettered message on the screen. She immediately went back to typing up new perimeters to try as Thor let out a gentle chuckle. He then turned his attention to Darcy with a smile.</p><p>“Wow, you like me better than Nat, I’m flattered.” Darcy smiled back at him.</p><p>Thor’s face turned serious, “While the Widow is a fierce warrior that I am proud to fight beside, she is not my lightning sister, nor has she ever managed to drop me quite so quickly as you did.” His expression turned jovial as he pulled Darcy into a great bear hug, lifting her from her chair as she laughed.</p><p>Once he finally released her she grabbed up her bag and phone and headed out of the lab, “I’m taking my lunch now. You too have fun.” She unlocked her phone and called J as she walked to the elevator. He picked up on the first ring which made Darcy’s heartbeat pick up speed a little.</p><p>“Hey doll, you at work?”</p><p>Darcy blushed a little every time he called her doll. She just couldn’t help it. “I’m actually on my way to lunch, there may be no windows down where I work, but the cafeteria is first rate.” The elevator dinged as the doors opened up. She hit the button for the cafeteria floor that was a couple up from the labs. “So hot stuff, what are we going to do tonight?”</p><p>“The same thing we do everynight Pinky, try to take over the world!” J pulled off an almost perfect impersonation of the large headed mouse making Darcy’s jaw drop.</p><p>“You’ve never watched Star Wars before, but Animaniacs you know?! That is fantastic. Though I am a little disappointed I couldn’t be the one to introduce it to you.” Darcy laughed.</p><p>“Did you hear they are making new episodes later this year?” She could hear him chewing something as he spoke and it made her stomach rumble.</p><p>“Yeah I can hardly wait.” She barely got the words out when there was a loud explosion. It shook the building, knocking Darcy to her knees and the elevator came to a dead stop. The emergency light and alarms sounded immediately drowning out almost all other noise. “Fuck”,  Darcy whispered.</p><p>“All personnel, please head to the nearest safe room in a calm and orderly fashion.” the message coming over the speaker in the ceiling did nothing to calm Darcy’s nerves.</p><p>“Was that F.R.I.D.A.Y.?” J sounded like he was running as he spoke</p><p>“How do you know about F.R.I.D.A.Y.?” Darcy was glad he was still on the phone with her as his question was pulling her away from the edge of a panic attack she was about to have.</p><p>“Doll, are you in Stark Tower? Please tell me you are not in the tower.” J sounds surprised and a little desperate.</p><p>“Technically no, I think I would be considered under it at the moment.” Darcy manages to squeak out.</p><p>“D, where are you right now? I’ll come get you.” There was steel in his voice, but Darcy was back to panicking and didn’t notice. She tried to answer him but all he could hear was her frantic breathing and tiny sobs. He heard the sound of the phone clattering to the floor and then silence.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry, not sorry</p><p>See y'all next year!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. John Mayer can kiss my taser</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bucky had stopped dead and had to concentrate not to start tearing the walls apart.  Stark wouldn’t be happy if he did that again. There had been a nasty incident when he first came to the tower when he accidentally stumbled into one of Clint’s prank booby traps and Bucky went a little feral in response. It took a couple weeks to repair all the damage he had made. He was much better now, in fact he was the only one to have gotten the best of Clint. Not even Nat had snared him in a trap in years. </p><p>This was different, this was pure fear running through him.</p><p>Bucky took a deep breath, closed his eyes in a silent prayer and spoke out loud, “F.R.I.D.A.Y. I know you are listening. Where is she?”</p><p>The response was quick, “Sergeant Barnes, your friend is currently located in elevator 4, stopped between basement level 5 and 6. It appears as though D has fainted after hyperventilating. She is in no danger currently and Thor is already on his way to her location.” Bucky sighed in relief. Only Stark could create an A.I. smart enough to keep his pen pal’s anonymity. “I suggest you continue to the mezzanine level to join Hawkeye in his sniper nest position. Most combatants have breached the building through the lobby entrance. All elevators have been locked and shut down, so please make your way to the stairs.”</p><p>Bucky huffed a laugh, “In case of gunfire, please take the stairs” he mumbled before taking off at top speed for the door in the corner of the level. Once on the stairs he had to slow down a bit, "So, how long have you known about me and D?” </p><p>“I became aware of your digital friendship when I noticed that two screens had been streaming the same movies at the same time regularly for a couple weeks. It was curious to me and I did look into it. I thought it was quite similar to Tony’s movie nights with the team but in a responsible way, given the current situations.” F.R.I.D.A.Y. answered in her regular matter of fact manner.</p><p>“Do I know her, I mean have I met her?” He barely spoke it loud enough to be heard.</p><p>“While the two of you share mutual acquaintances, I do not believe you have met or been properly introduced. I could make this possible, if you would like.” </p><p>Bucky smiled, “Thank you, but no that’s not necessary F.R.I.D.A.Y.”  He pushed through the door onto the mezzanine, and quickly slid up to Clint to take on half the sightlines. It was only a moment  before there was a loud noise in the elevator bay not far from where the two snipers were situated. There was a crackle of electricity as the doors of elevator number 4 were pried open from the inside. Having fought with Thor previously, Bucky knew it was him and it only took a moment to remember why Thor was in the elevator at all.</p><p>The thunder god emerged from the elevator doors with a small, curvy brunette in glasses in tow. She appeared to be texting, and Bucky silently thanked his stars he had turned off his phone. “Ah Clint and Bucky, glad to see the two of you are in good sorts. Stark’s house told me I could find you here, assuring me it would be a safe place to leave the Lady Darcy while I join the fight.” Even when he tried to whisper, Thor’s voice seemed to boom, but he was always in a good mood as far as Bucky had seen. </p><p>“Sure big guy, Darcy is safe here with us. Not so sure about us being safe around her though.” Clint laughed, but kept firing arrows.</p><p>“Har har Agent Arms, I’ll have you know my aim has greatly improved since I got here.” The girl stuck her tongue out at Clint, and Bucky couldn’t help but stare a little, it was her voice, he had no doubt. </p><p>“What about last week when you shot me in the ass?” Clint looked over at her as Thor flew off in the direction of the fighting.</p><p>“I was aiming for your ass, you stole the last box of poptarts on day three of an epic science bender.” Bucky’s eyebrows shot up at her words, he recalled a vaguely similar story from D earlier this week but he didn’t recall anything in it about guns.</p><p>“She shot you?!” Bucky couldn’t help but stare at Clint who just shrugged and went back to his targets. </p><p>“Relax Winter Wonderland, it was only a taser, and as I said it was deserved.” Darcy had gone back to staring at her phone with a frown. </p><p>For some reason the look of those bright red painted lips frowning made him bold, “You sexting your boyfriend during a firefight?”</p><p>“I was talking to him right before I bravely fainted in the elevator. Now he’s not responding.”</p><p>Bucky suddenly felt guilty for poking fun at her, since he was the one who wasn’t responding, and he didn’t have the balls to say it, “Maybe these thugs are blocking the signal or something. “ he shrugged, shot a couple more guys making for the stairs, “Also, nothing I have ever done or been part of could be considered a wonderland.”</p><p>Darcy sighed and put away her phone, then smiled up at him, “No, but your body is a wonderland.” Bucky felt the blush creep up his cheeks as she winked at him. He tried to say something back but his mouth just opened and closed like a dying fish. “Relax dude, your virtue is safe with me. I just get really flirty when I’m in life or death situations.”</p><p>“Can confirm.” Clint added before getting smacked in the back of the head by both of them at the same time, “Ow, not fair.”</p><p>The number of thugs still on their feet had dropped to zero, and Thor returned and collected Darcy, her heading off with not much more than a wave over her shoulder. Bucky just watched her go, mentally kicking himself and a bit in awe. He could now put a face to the voice, and a beautiful face at that. </p><p>He was so far into his own thoughts he didn’t notice Natasha and Steve walk up to them. “What’s up with him?” she asked Clint.</p><p>“He just met Darcy, in all her glory” Clint chuckled.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Shovel talks and determined newspaper boys.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry” J was groveling, it was like he felt he needed to make it up to Darcy for not responding to her frantic texts.</p><p>“What happened? You weren’t answering me, I was worried.” Darcy wasn’t mad, just concerned. All sorts of terrible scenarios had been playing nonstop in her head that something had happened to him. “I mean you knew F.R.I.D.A.Y. so I can only assume you live or work in the tower. That’s the last thing I remember you saying. I thought you’d gotten hurt in the attack.”</p><p>“I can not stress how sorry I am for scaring you like that. I didn’t get your messages till after it was all over. I was going to try to come get you, but F.R.I.D.A.Y. told me someone else was on their way to you and instructed me to head to my designated area instead. So I did what I was told. I’m really glad you’re okay.” J really did sound sincere, and it is just so sweet that he wanted to come rescue her, even if it would have put him in a lot of danger for no reason.</p><p>“Well, I guess that makes sense. Those saferooms are pretty well shielded from what I’ve heard. I have yet to actually make it into one. It’s really sweet of you to think about being my dashing hero and all, but to be one hundred percent honest with you I’m kinda friends with Thor so you don’t need to feel obligated to put yourself in harm’s way for little old me.” Darcy laughed, now that everything was cleared up she felt relieved. “I can’t believe all this time we were in the same building and didn’t know it. That’s crazy, like we might have been waiting in line at the cafeteria together and not even realized.”</p><p>“Yeah that is pretty wild.” J didn’t sound quite as amused by it as Darcy was but Darcy was more amused by most things compared to other people. “So if you’ve never been in one of the saferooms, where did you end up during the attack?”</p><p>“Uh..” Darcy suddenly felt guilty. She liked J, more than she cared to say out loud, and it felt weird to admit she had spent the attack ogling sexy avenger beefcake while he was worrying in a safe room. It felt a little like cheating for some reason, even though they were only friends. “Thor dropped me off with the sniper bros while he went off to kick ass.” </p><p>“Sniper bros?” J laughed a bit at his own question.</p><p>“You know Hawkeye and the Winter Soldier.” she answered.</p><p>“The guy with the bow and arrows, who the hell thought it would be a good idea to bring a bow and arrows to a firefight? I mean really.”</p><p>“Dude, you have no idea how many times I have thought that myself. I asked him once, but he didn’t answer, just crawled back into the air vent with a scowl. I think I laughed about it for like five minutes straight.” Darcy was starting to giggle just remembering that day.</p><p>“So you were left with him and the scary dude with the metal arm that’s always hanging out with Captain America?”</p><p>“Yeah, but he’s not really all that scary. Comes off a bit intense at times sure, but I think he’s secretly as much of a goofball as Cap. I might even go so far as to say he’s mostly harmless.” Darcy tried not to think about those intense blue eyes staring at her when she got flirty, or how she had seriously considered pulling him in for a kiss. Thinking about how well that had worked out with Ian she was glad she was able to restrain herself. </p><p>“Much like planet Earth.” J laughed.</p><p>"Glad to know you are up on your Douglas Adams so I don’t have to explain that to you.” Darcy laughed again, she did that a lot talking with J, it was nice. “The two of them stay away from the fighting so they can safely shoot baddies from afar. So I was pretty safe with them, no one ever gets close to them. Plus they know Thor would kick their ass if they let anything happen to me.” Darcy said proudly.</p><p>“You two dating or something?” J sounded amused but with a hint of worry.</p><p>“Gods no, he just treats me kinda like a little sister you know.” Darcy cringed a bit at the thought. Not to mention Jane would kill her in her sleep if she even joked about it.</p><p>“Ah, so if I ever took you out, I should expect a godly shovel talk.” J laughed, but then fell into a sudden awkward silence as they both realized what he had said. Darcy was sure she was bright red and had momentarily forgotten how to breathe.</p><p>“Do you want to take me out sometime?” she meekly asked, afraid of his response.</p><p>He answered almost as meekly, “Maybe, I think I’d like that.” Again there was silence, then J changed the subject, “So what should we watch tonight? Ladies’ choice.”</p><p>Darcy sighed in relief, “It’s always ladies' choice, just as it should be. How about a fun romp through the eighties. Better off Dead is a great movie. Hilarious, one of those films that shapes a generation.”</p><p>“Sounds good to me doll. Let’s que it up.” With those words though his screen had turned on on it’s own with the movie ready to go without actually having told it too.</p><p>“Whoa, did your tv just turn by itself?” Darcy asked.</p><p>“Oh yeah, F.R.I.D.A.Y. told me she was aware of our shared viewing. I think she thinks it’s cute, in a computer program kinda way.” J explained.</p><p>“She’s good that way. You got your popcorn ready, Let's start it up.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I swear to the gods we will get there eventually, its not called a slow burn for nothing.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. A way to a man's heart is through his smoothie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the film was over and the two had said good night to each other and hung up Bucky headed out of his bedroom to the kitchen in his shared apartment. Steve was already out there cuddling on the couch with Natasha. The two had been so quiet Bucky didn’t even realize they were back from their workout. Or it might have been that he was too engrossed in the conversation with Darcy.</p><p>As soon as he entered the room Natasha quickly got up, kissing Steve good night, and let her self out to head back to her own rooms. “You two know she doesn’t have to leave right? I’m okay with you seeing each other.” Bucky says to Steve once she’s gone.</p><p>“I know Buck.” Steve replies.</p><p>“Whatever there was between me and her is way in the past. I barely remember it, and I don’t want to be in the way of your happiness.” Bucky grabs some of a smoothie he had left over from earlier that was stashed in the fridge before heading back over to the couch.</p><p>“That’s not why she left. I wanted to talk to you about something, and I thought it might be better if I did it alone.” Steve leaned forward, elbows on his knees and he gestured to Bucky to sit.</p><p>“Fuck, who died?” Bucky sat nervously.</p><p>Steve rolled his eyes, “No one died.”</p><p>“Then lighten up, jerk, you’re acting like you’re about to tell me my dog got run over or something.” Bucky leaned back into the cushions and took a long drink of his smoothie.</p><p>Steve huffed a laugh and gave a little grin, “Sorry, I just wanted to talk to you about D.”</p><p>Bucky paused, with his drink halfway to the coffee table, “What about her?”</p><p>“I know you guys have been talking a lot, and I know you like her. More than just like her, but have you considered maybe finding someone you know to talk to like that.” Bucky couldn’t think of anything to say to stop this, and Steve just kept going. “You met Darcy right? Clint said you guys met and seemed to get along. Which is cool, Darcy’s great. I think you two could get on like a house on fire given half the chance. Nat does too. And she’s already vetted, and knows your history. She’s cute right, and she lives right here in the building.” The more he talked the more animated and excited Steve got, he obviously really wanted to set Bucky up with her.</p><p>Bucky put the drink down and raised his hands in front of him in a stop motion, waving them in front of Steve to get his friends attention, “Stop, Steve, she’s D.”</p><p>Obviously not listening to his friend Steve went on, “I know she’s not D, but…”</p><p>Bucky interrupted him, louder than before, “Yes she is. Steve. I know how great Darcy is because she is D. She’s who I have been talking to all this time.”</p><p>Steve stopped with his mouth hanging open, and then smiled. “So you guys told each other who you were? That’s great!”</p><p>“No, that’s not how I found out it was her, and she doesn’t know J is me.” Bucky went on to explain what had happened during the attack. “She called my body a wonderland and I was so shocked by it I nearly shot you in the ass as you ran past my sightline.”</p><p>“Really man? My ass?” Steve looked more amused then insulted.</p><p>“Well it is your largest target area.” Bucky smirked at him before continuing in the most nonsensical way, “I mean i was just..and you’ve seen her.. With those lips and those eyes… and the mouth on her… and she winked at me.. I think I stopped breathing.. And then like .. you know.. And I .. I don’t know.” Bucky slumped in his seat. Steve just smiled and laughed a little. “I couldn’t talk to her Steve. She was right there the most gorgeous thing I ve seen in a hundred years and I couldn’t think of what to say. Fuck this used to be so easy.” Bucky buried his face in his hands.</p><p>Steve put a comforting hand on Bucky’s shoulder, “You never took the time back then to really get to know those girls you were going with, and none of them could’ve held a candle to Darcy. You obviously have some real feelings for her.” Steve gave a couple of good pats before leaning back in his seat, “This is good though right. We just gotta tell her who you are then you guys can start actually seeing where this goes.” </p><p>Bucky whipped his head up, “No! No we are not telling her shit. You are not telling her, or anyone else anything. That includes Tasha. God is she found out she’d go full blown matchmaker and not let it go. Promise me Steve! Swear to it like that time when we were ten and playing ball in the dirt lot and you accidentally broke Mr. Flannigan’s window.”</p><p>Steve was wide eyed, ‘You remember that?”</p><p>“Swear it!” Bucky was on his feet now, hovering over Steve, frantic.</p><p>Steve put his hands up in surrender and tried to use his most calming tone, “Okay okay, I swear I won’t tell anyone. Just calm down.”</p><p>Bucky seemed to snap out of it suddenly and dropped back down onto the couch. “Sorry, I think I might have gone a little off the deep end for a second. I’m just worried that when she finds out it’s me she’ll make a run for it.”</p><p>“I understand pal, but knowing Darcy that is the last thing she would do.” Steve gave him a reassuring smile. “So, what now?”</p><p>“Hell if I know, punk.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know the chapters are short, but at least I am posting a lot of them</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. I'm calling about your extended warranty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Something weird was going on, Darcy was sure of it. She didn’t know what, but something was going on. Walking through the lobby after picking up a delivery of fresh doughnuts and coffee from the security desk she had spied one Captain Steve Rogers and his bestie walking on the mezzanine towards one of the conference rooms. Steve was staring at her with a weird little grin, when she stared back he gave her a little wave. Bucky then saw who he was waving at, visibly rolled his eyes and dragged him off with a scowl that could rival Christian Bale’s Batman. </p><p>Like seriously, what in the name of Frigga was going on. Steve was acting like he had a crush on her or something, staring wistfully at her from across the lobby. Like seriously weird. Darcy thought he was dating Natasha, and that was definitely not a relationship she wanted to get in the middle of. The thought of hiding away from the red haired spy scared her to no end and Darcy made her way down to the lab constantly looking over her shoulder.</p><p>Then later when she was talking with J she mentioned the encounter to him and her perfectly rational fears and he suddenly had to get off the phone. They were about to sit down and watch The Princess Bride and he suddenly just bailed on her. What the hell was going on?</p><p>-----</p><p>“Damn it Steve, now she thinks you like her.” Bucky smacks his friend in the arm as he’s stirring spaghetti sauce.</p><p>“Who thinks I like them?” Steve asked.</p><p>“Darcy!”</p><p>“Well I do like her, she’s great.” Steve smiles, completely clueless.</p><p>Bucky silently counts to ten to keep from smacking him again, but harder, “No you dumbass, she thinks you LIKE her. She’s kinda freaking out about it, looking over her shoulder for Nat and all for stealing her man.”</p><p>“Wait, what? No, no I don’t like her like that! I would never do that to you Buck!” Steve says, sounding very apologetic.</p><p>Bucky face palms, “I don’t know why I hang out with you” Bucky starts speaking slowly, like he’s talking to a child, .”I am aware that you don’t like her like that, but you're acting so dorky now that she thinks you like her like that. Stop acting like a dork.”<br/>“Who thinks Steve likes her?” Both men actually jump at the sound of her voice and turn to find Natasha standing in the doorway.</p><p>“I swear to god I am going to put a bell on you if you keep doing that!” Bucky points at her, red in the face from embarrassment.</p><p>“Don’t try and change the subject James.” </p><p>“D thinks I like her after I kinda waved at her in the lobby.” Steve answers, sheepishly.</p><p>“Darcy thinks you like her?” Natasha’s eyebrows so up in shock, which is quickly mirrored by the two men. </p><p>Bucky spins back around to Steve, “You promised not to tell her!”</p><p>“I didn’t, I swear!” Steve backs up a step with his hands up in surrender.</p><p>“Relax Bucky, Darcy was telling Clint about her phone pen pal and it was pretty easy to put two and two together after that.” She slips past him to taste the sauce in the pot, before adding some brown sugar and giving it a good stir and tasting it again. “It won’t take long to get back to her, you should just tell her already and stop being an idiot.”</p><p>Bucky slumps, defeated, “How do you suggest I do that without coming off like a creep?”</p><p>“How long have you known it was Darcy?” she asks.</p><p>“Since the attack last week.” Bucky whispers.</p><p>“You are not a creep, if you come clean soon. Ask her to meet up in the cafeteria for dinner. I have a feeling she’d be thrilled it’s you.” Steve nods at her words in agreement.</p><p>“That’s what I’ve been telling him.”</p><p>“Fuck!” Bucky walks out of the kitchen to go back to his room to try to get the courage together to do it only to step on his phone that he had left on the floor cracking the screen badly. “FUCK!”</p><p>-------------</p><p>“I’m telling you Jane, I am afraid for my life. I couldn’t sleep a wink, kept imagining her dropping from the vents and stabbing me in the heart for stealing her man!” Darcy was pacing the lab while Jane fiddled with her equipment.</p><p>“Captain America is not in love with you.” Jane stated matter of factly, without even looking at her. “You did not ‘steal her man’ Darcy.”</p><p>“You didn’t see the way he was looking at me,he’s either in love with me or he knew something I don’t!” Darcy stopped on the spot, “Oh my god, I had my physical last week. I’m dying and they just haven’t told me yet. Oh hell Jane, I’m dying!”</p><p>“You’re not dying Darcy. They would have told you first, not Captain America. I mean, come on you're being ridiculous.” Jane finally looks over at her friend.</p><p>“You’re right, I know you are. I just don’t understand what is going on.” Darcy flops into a chair. “It’s just when I told J about it he kinda freaked a bit. He couldn’t get off the phone fast enough, and now he won’t answer my calls or texts.”</p><p>It was just then that Tony wandered into the room holding a Stark phone that was bent in the middle, the screen completely shattered, “God damn supper soldiers and their unstable temper tantrums. I swear I am surrounded by toddlers.”</p><p>“Takes one to know one, as they say.” Darcy was usually trying to avoid Tony as much as possible, but today she was actually glad for the distraction. </p><p>“Hardy har har, why haven’t I fired you yet?” Tony glared at her, but there was no venom to it. </p><p>“Because she doesn’t work for you.” Jane piped up.</p><p>Darcy laughed, and the weight lifted from her shoulders.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. You've got red on you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was later that evening when Darcy’s phone rang through with a call from James. “Hey there, is everything okay? You got off the phone so fast the last time I was worried.”</p><p>“Sorry to worry you doll, I just had to work through something. And then I broke my phone screen and had to wait for a replacement.” James answered, although he didn’t sound like himself.</p><p>“So it’s all taken care of now? We can get back to watching movies?” She asked hopefully.</p><p>“Actually I need to talk to you about something first.”</p><p>Darcy was starting to worry, “Okay, what is it?”</p><p>“Do you want to meet me in the cafe tomorrow for lunch?” He said it so fast, like he was trying to get the words out before he could change his mind. Darcy had to chuckle a little while covering the mic on her phone. She didn’t want him to feel like she was laughing at his question.<br/>
“You're asking me to lunch? Like a lunch date?” Darcy couldn’t help but smile. She had been thinking of asking him for a few days now but wasn’t sure if she should.</p><p>“Yeah, I figured I should do it before this went on too much longer.” James sounded slightly relieved to have gotten it out but still nervous.</p><p>“I would love to meet you for lunch J, but why the rush?”</p><p>There was a pause as J took a deep breath, this was the part that he must have been having trouble with, “I know who you are, like in reality. I figured it out a few days ago, and so did some of my friends. We figured it might not take long for it to get back to you so I thought I would just rip the bandaid off fast then keep it from you any longer.”</p><p>Darcy sat quietly for a moment processing the information, “Wait, are you friends with Captain America? Is that why he was looking at me all weirdly found in the lobby? Is that why you got off the phone so quick after I told you about that?”</p><p>“Yeah, I had to go smack him upside his big, dumb, thick skull. Natasha knows too, so nothing for you to worry about there.” She could hear the humor starting to return to his voice.</p><p>“Are you sure about that? She can get really protective of her friends.” Darcy asked.</p><p>James laughed at that, and it sounded like music to Darcy’s ears, “I think she likes you better than she likes me, so if either of us has anything to worry about it’s me.”</p><p>“Well, you're on your own there. I would be no help against her. So is that all you were worried about, your friends telling me before you could?”</p><p>James sounded nervous again when he answered, “Well that and the fear that I will be a disappointment to you.”</p><p>“Not possible dude.I promise.” Darcy could hear him sigh on the other end of the line. “So how about the day after tomorrow, we can meet up in the cafeteria at noon. You’ll have to find me, since you already know who I am. Sounds good to you?”</p><p>“Yeah doll, that sounds great. Noon, in the cafeteria, day after tomorrow, it’s a date.” Darcy could hear what sounded like cheering in the background and then a slamming door, “So what are we watching tonight?”</p><p>“Are you familiar with the genre of ZomRomComs?” </p><p>---------</p><p>It was the next day that a call came in about a legion of DoomBots descending onto the financial district and the team headed out. They met up with Reed Richards and his group and immediately got to work fighting off the invasion. It took hours, and as the sun began to set it seemed as if things were finally wrapping up in their favor. Bucky had been perched on a rooftop on the edge of the battle, keeping an eye out for any doom bots trying to make a break for it. He had been so focused on what he was seeing through his scope that he didn’t hear the heavy footfalls behind him.</p><p>Dr. Doom grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him up from the ground. His armored hand crushing the metal of his arm where it met his skin. Pain shot through Bucky like he had been run through with a large blade. Metal plates coming apart from the arm and digging into his flesh in multiple places. Blood drenched his shirt as Doom spit the words at him. How dare they do this to him, he is more powerful than them, they are nothing more than tiny ants under his boot. Bucky wasn’t really listening, he had heard it all before a million times, all he could really focus on was the pain. When the rest of the team arrived at his location, Doom decided he was done with Bucky and dismissively tossed him off the building.</p><p>Bucky heard Steve yelling after him as he fell fifteen stories to the alley below. It was in that moment dread and disappointment hit him as he realized that he was not going to make his lunch date. He really hoped Darcy would understand.</p><p>--------</p><p>When noon rolled around Darcy was already sitting at a table in the back of the cafeteria. She was wearing a top that made her girls look great, a new red lipstick and her hair curled and cascading down over shoulders. She looked really good, if she did think so herself.</p><p>As it became twelve thirty, her shoulders had slumped a bit, and she was poking at her plate, having lost her appetite. She was about to get up and head back to the lab when she saw Steve Rogers, still wearing a dirty and blood stained, Captain America suit, walking towards her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry, not sorry</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. The score is Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bucky awakes with a start, half expecting to find himself strapped down and Hydra lab coats milling about. It took a couple seconds to focus and see the vase full of yellow daisies sitting on the little table positioned over the bed. It was something Steve and he had come up with in his early days in the tower. They were his favorite flowers and he had many favorable memories including them. Steve decided Hydra would never have thought to put flowers in the lab with Bucky so it would be an easy way to calm him when waking in a strange place, a way to let him know he is safe and Steve was close by.</p><p>Of course it had gotten out of hand quickly as Steve had thought it would be funny to get larger and larger bouquets with each trip to medical. This particular flower bunch took up most of his view, blocking out the rest of the room directly in front of him. It was also placed so close to his face that it blocked most of his views to the sides of the bed as well.</p><p>Bucky takes a deep breath and flops back onto the pillow, relaxed. The table with the flowers on it starts to roll away, making it easier to see the rest of the room without having to crane his neck around. Standing to the side of the bed just beyond the flowers was Darcy, and she was not looking very happy. Bucky cursed Steve under his breath.</p><p>“You’re an idiot.” Darcy says as she crosses her arms in front of her.</p><p>“Uhmm..” Bucky was in shock that she was standing in front of him right then, and certainly didn’t want to piss her off any further. He also wanted more info so he would know what he was groveling in apology for exactly. It could be a few things.</p><p>“What exactly did you think about you that would be a disappointment to me? If you say your arm or your years as a prisoner of war being constantly brainwashed and tortured I am gonna smack you back into unconsciousness till you smarten up.” She actually sounded pissed and Bucky did not doubt her words.</p><p>He decided to lay it all out there and let the chips fall as they may, “And here I thought you were mad because I didn’t tell you right after the attack when I first figured it out. Or that I missed our date.”</p><p>Darcy rolled her eyes, “I blame Doom for our missed date. As for the other thing I just now regret not kissing you senseless that day like I wanted to.” Bucky’s eyes widened with shock as he tried to find the words to respond to that. “Watching you with that rifle was stupid hot, unfortunately for you I was being faithful to, well to you, and controlled myself.”</p><p>“Doll, I would happily let you drive me to the brink of sanity if I get to kiss you along the way. If either of us is ‘stupid hot’ it’s you.” He put on his best smirk, and extended his hand to her. He could see her façade crack as she reached out and took his hand in hers. He pulled her closer till she was leaning over him, and he pulled her down to meet his lips.</p><p>Of course that only lasted a moment before they were interrupted by Steve, followed closely by Tony. Steve had the intelligence to look guilty for interrupting, but Tony of course, took no notice. “Don’t worry Short stack, I’ll have Tin Man here all patched up for you in no time. The new arm is already in the manufacturing stage. I am thinking of having the computers etch ‘If lost please return to Stark Tower’ on the shoulder.”</p><p>“That’s Doctor Short Stack to you, I got my Doctorate degree in the mail today, complete with a big shiny gold seal on it.” Darcy looked proud, pulling her shoulders back and sitting up straighter.</p><p>Tony did a quick double take, and then smiled. “Well Doctor Lewis, it seems congratulations are in order. F.R.I.D.A.Y. start planning the party, and send out a memo to everyone in the tower letting them know the good news. Also put the good Doctor Lewis on the payroll, that way I can actually joke about firing her.” </p><p>“Of course boss. Congratulations Doctor Lewis”, the A.I.’s reply came from a hidden speaker somewhere in the ceiling.</p><p>“Well damn doll, you are way too good for a punk kid like me.” Bucky gave her hip a squeeze.</p><p>“Definitely too smart for someone like you, Buck.” Steve chuckled.</p><p>“Alright alright, everybody out!” Darcy started to shoo the other men towards the door, “He needs his rest so he can take me out for a cafeteria dinner later.”</p><p>“Yes ma’am.” Was all Steve said as he gently pushed Tony back out the way they came. </p><p>----</p><p>That night as they cuddled up to watch one of Darcy’s favorite romantic comedies on the couch in her rooms Bucky noticed her laptop sitting open on the kitchen counter, with code well beyond his understanding running across the screen. “What’s all that?” He asked, nodding towards the computer.</p><p>Darcy just smiled, “Oh just a little bit of hacking to make it harder for Dr. Doom to disrupt any more of our plans.”</p><p>“Do I want to know?”</p><p>“I just put a bit of code in the doom bot programing that every time they see you, they stop everything, and get down on their robot knees and beg for forgiveness before flying off a safe distance and self-destructing.”</p><p>“And they call Hydra evil, Doll I sure am glad you are on our side.”</p><p>“As you should be, now hush and watch the movie. The lead guy reminds me of Vision so much, I swear they could be twins.”</p>
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